25+ Valentine’s Day Gifts That Give Back
Here are 25 other gift ideas that will set you up with extra karma points because at least 10 percent of sales (or buy-one-give-one programs) benefit worthy organizations:
1. Go beyond roses and Madam Francis Mango treefrom PlantOGram.com. A full 20% of the purchase price helps educate Haitian women so they can better provide for their families. If you’re thinking about something for indoors, pick out a plant and coordinating pot from Léon & George and know your purchase equals one tree planted with the National Forest Foundation.
2. The only thing more hipster than a sterling silver Moustache Tie Bar is a sterling silver ‘stache. Cufflinks.com donates 10% of proceeds to prostate cancer research.
3. Even do-gooders like chocolate on Valentine’s Day. Heifer International, an organization that supports farmers internationally, offers up ethically sourced Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels that help lift small-scale Ecuadorian farmers out of poverty.
4. Amplify all the goodness that wine can bring by buying a ONEHOPE Spa Gift Crate, which helps fund clinical trials for women with breast cancer, or Colby Red Wine, which as has donated more than $850,000 to organizations that promote heart health.
5. Awe gives 20% of its jewelry sales to one of four charities: CancerCare, The Fisher House Foundation, The Trevor Project and RAINN. This is no pity buy, either. The pieces, for men and women, are powerfully modern and simple.
6. Help scholarship recipients shine by shopping for birthstone jewelry and clothing at the Shine Project. All aspects of the company are run by scholarship students so they can stay in school, meet their expenses and learn business.
7. Wear it loud and proud: Violet Wears female empowerment cotton T-shirts have messages for the world. For each shirt purchased, another goes to a woman in a homeless shelter. Bravely’s shirts and bags employ women survivors of sexual exploitation and addiction.
8. Keep it clean: When you buy the natural, luxurious soap from Health 2 Humanity, you’re supporting its nonprofit arm, H2H Global, which uses the profits to set up soap businesses in third-world countries. Giving Soapsdonates 20% to charity:water, Feed My Starving Children, and My Day Counts.
9. Crane & Canopy’s line of luxury bedding helps domestic violence victims get a better nights’ sleep, with at least 15% of proceeds going to shelters across the nation.
10. When you want to add a little lip service to the day, 50% of sales from Kari Gran’s Wonder Whip lip balm supports free, life-changing surgeries. And 100% of proceeds from Robin McGraw’s AveryLasting Love Lip Gloss quartet funds domestic violence programs.
11. We know love is love is love , so now Williams-Sonoma’s “Love Is Love” mug donates 50% of proceeds to further LGBTQ equality. (It’s also available in stores and online at West Elm and Pottery Barn.)
12. For every piece of seriously stunning MADI Apparelyou buy, a pair of self-wicking, antimicrobial underwear goes to a woman in a domestic violence shelter, homeless shelter or rape crisis center.
13. A good bag is perhaps the most subtly powerful calling card you can own. So make your purchase count at Vessel, a San Diego-based seller of high-end totes, briefcases, duffels and golf bags, which donates a backpack to a child in need with every sale—13,000 to date.
14. If giving presents to pets is so wrong, why does it feel so right? Give in to that feeling with a luxe leather honey bee/flower collar from Collier Leeds, $10 of which goes to the Rodale Institute Honey Bee Conservancy. One of Free People’s three online pop-up shops gives 100% of proceeds to PAWS, which is perfect, because you know your dog has been dying for a boho-chic crocheted sweater but can’t ask you in your language . (The other Free People pop-ups help Girls Inc and the Clean Water Fund.)
15. Manufactured in Los Angeles,Revolucion’s fitness-wear sales support several charities, including the Ph8 Foundation for clean water, a preschool in an impoverished area in South Africa, 8 West for homeless youth in San Diego, and the Freedom story, which fights children’s sex trafficking in Thailand. The environment benefits, too: fabric for women’s tops are made from 79% recycled bottles, and mens’ shirts are from a recycled poly blend.
16. Keap candles spread light at home and far away—each candle sold helps support SolarAid, which distributes solar lamps to communities around the globe. The Valentine’s Candle Set, comes with a limited-edition matchbox containing a mini love note.
17. She’ll want to live in this soft cashmere sweater, aptly named “Grace,” from Pink Lemonaid, a new nonprofit that supports the Cleveland Clinic’s breast cancer research and prevention efforts.
18. There’s a lot to love about Hope Bridges’ fair-trade coffee, which benefits underserved Thai children by providing food, clothing, education and basic health care. Beans are processed by a hill tribe cooperative, which helps local farmers.
19. Can’t you smell that smell? Truly Yours Parfums(created by cult favorite Kai maker, Sarah Horowitz-Thran) born with a philanthropic mission to share profits with Heart of Los Angeles, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and Extended Family. The Reisa perfume—in Eau de Parfum, a mini sprayer or perfume oil roller—mixes notes of Tuberose, bergamot, stargazer lily, orange blossom and jasmine.
20. Celebrate the art of love: Half the proceeds from original art purchased at Charity Canvas supports the cause the painting represents, such as a New York food bank, breast cancer research, the Trevor Project and more.
21. This probably falls into the “galentine’s” category, but the Tampon Tribe offers a monthly subscription to non-toxic, environmentally friendly feminine hygiene products (it’s only $8, so what do you have to lose?) with product donations going to homeless women and Girls, Inc., which empowers young women and girls. (Dudes, do not give women this gift, no matter how strong your communication is. Consider yourself forewarned.)
22. Affordable reusable grocery bags, aprons and coasters from the Mile High Workshop in Denver are made by formerly incarcerated or homeless workers, who traditionally have trouble finding work.
23. Set the stage for love with Mpowerd Luci lights, lightweight, waterproof and completely solar-powered lights you can use anywhere—even in the bath. They’re also inflatable and collapse flat for easy traveling. Best of all, sales support distribution of this clean light source around the world for communities that need it most.
24. Can it! Which is a very clever way to lead into a gift for beer lovers: Golden Road Brewing’s Heal the Bay IPA, which donates 10% Southern California local clean-coast charity Heal the Bay.